It was a long drive back to Hidden Springs, but the driver made good time and Marisol and Chase slept through most of it.
But both were wide awake as they entered the outskirts of town and headed into the downtown area.
Marisol was bouncing on the seat, her gaze darting all around trying to take in everything all at once, saying, "Wow, Hidden Springs is so pretty! Look at all the green grass and trees." Then asking excitedly, "Are we almost there daddy? Is our house in town? Does it have a big yard? Do we have neighbors close by?"
Chase, trying to keep the strain out of his voice, answered, "We actually live on the far side of town, so far out the roads aren't paved there. But our house is right on the lake shore, with a nice yard, and access to the water. Though we haven't been here long enough to explore it much yet."
"Oh, that sounds amazing daddy! Can I swim and fish? What about boating or snorkeling, or parasailing!?!"
Chase, unable to resist Marisol's enthusiasm, smiled and said, "Fishing for sure, because you'd be safe on the shore. But for the rest, you really need supervision." Seeing Marisol ready to voice her objection, he added, "More than just the Watcher. Your mother, or your grandparents, or me, when I get back from my 2nd term. Understood?"
Marisol's face fell just a bit, but even that information couldn't quell her excitement at being in a real town, a town with other children and her own large extended family, so she nodded, saying, "Yes, daddy. I understand." Then bouncing on the seat again, she asked, "Are we there yet!?!"
Chase just shook his head and said, "Almost. We passed through the downtown area and we're heading for the lake shore section now."
And within just a few minutes, the Frio family home was in sight!
Marisol's eyes flew open wide at the size of it, taking in the green grass, the trees, and the sims standing in the front yard.
Not just any sims, but her family!
Oh, how she hoped they would like her!
But then she noticed the vehicles in the front yard.
She recognized the motive mobile, but the police car was a surprise, and she asked nervously, "Is something wrong!?! Why is there a police car?"
Chase patted her hand reassuringly and said, "Relax. It's fine. The car belongs to your grandmother, Cici. She's a high ranking police officer now, way past needing a cruiser for patrol, but she keeps it for sentimental reasons. We still have her great-grandfather's police cruiser too, as he was in law enforcement and reached the top of the career as well."
"Does she arrest people?"
Chase patted her hand again and said, "Only those that commit crimes, so you don't have anything to worry about. Unless you've robbed a bank I don't know about!?!"
Marisol giggled and relaxed at Chase's words, just as he hoped, though he was far from relaxed himself.
But no time to think of that as the van had stopped and Chased grabbed his suitcase and followed Cinda inside.
Cinda wasn't spending a moment more outdoors than she had to, but her opening remark had Chase on alert as she said, "So Mr. Game Designer, seems like you were up to more than just working on your gaming while you were at Uni!"
Everyone else had followed them inside, but Rory quickly steered Cinda off to the nursery, saying, "Let's check on the twins, Cinda. I think I hear one of them stirring."
This left Chase, Odette, and Marisol standing in the entry way alone, giving them a private moment.
A moment that could set the tone for this new family dynamic.
Chase gazed at Marisol wondering how to initiate this meeting.
It's not everyday that a time traveling husband has to introduce his unexpected offspring to his wife!
Then Odette broke the awkward silence, saying, "Welcome to your new home Marisol. It's so nice to finally meet you. Chase, um, your father, has told me so much about you."
Marisol stared off, feeling the butterflies flying wildly around her stomach, wondering if the welcome was real or if her step-mother was just being polite.
Then she realized she was being impolite by staying silent, so she ventured a few words, "Daddy and the Watcher have told me a bit about you too."
Odette tensed as Marisol's voice tripped so easily over that word, 'daddy'. But she tried to relieve the young girl's tension, as well as her own, by continuing with a safe topic, saying with a smile, "The Watcher sure can be a fountain of information, and just like a fountain, she bubbles over with it! Sometimes too much, don't you think!?!"
Marisol's lips twitched at that remark, but defended me valiantly saying, "Sometimes, but she means well."
At her words, the trio all laughed, and the ice was truly broken, as they were now united in thought and feeling for a mutual known friend.
And though I was a bit rueful at it being at my expense, it was a small price to pay for bringing them together.
Odette gave Marisol a quick tour of the main floor, to get her acquainted with her new home, and as they checked out the rooms and got to know each other, their conversation flowed even more freely.
And even became animated and enthusiastic as they discussed art.
"Your father mentioned how much you enjoy painting, even though you're not artistic, but don't give up hope on that as I didn't get that trait until I was a young adult. And even if you don't ever get the trait, it's a wonderfully relaxing past time. Well worth the effort, though I didn't think so when I was younger. If the easels around the house are full, just ask and we can free some up, or buy another one. Maybe you'd like one in your room?"
Marisol, staring up at Odette with obvious affection already showing on her face, said, "If it wouldn't cost too much or be too much trouble, that would be great! Oh, the one daddy and I used at Uni is in the van! Could that one be mine? Then you wouldn't need to buy another one. 'Waste not, want not'!"
Odette's smile grew as she looked at Marisol, the spitting image of Chase, and with all the love she felt for him, a kernel of it started to grow for his daughter, at her enthusiasm, tempered by her frugalness, and she allowed herself to relax even more, confident that the situation would work itself out.
Then the topic turned to favorite colors and Odette told Marisol how she shared her love of purple with the Watcher.
"I love it in every shade, from lightest lilac to darkest plum, and all the ones in between! The Watcher and I had such fun picking out my wardrobe after every birthday." But she ruefully plucked at her sweater, as she added, "But the Watcher has been remiss in changing my everyday outfit to one more appropriate for the warmer weather. Sometimes you have to remind her of that!"
Marisol laughed and said, "She seems to be a lot like daddy when it comes to remembering some things. But she did let me choose all my outfits in my favorite color pink! And she filled our house in Uni with lots of things for me to do. I even learned to bake everything I could with a toy oven, muffins, cookies, and brownies. I sold some too! Most of it with daddy's help, but one on my own too."
"You sound like quite the little baker, that will come in handy to fill up our refrigerators! I miss some of those yummy kid treats! Your great-grandmother Lorelei, we call her Gramlei, was a five star chef and cooked the most amazing meals! We still have some of them in the replicators, but no one's a chef like she was, or our Founder Jerad. They were both natural cooks and earned us the best refrigerators that never let anything spoil."
Marisol was intrigued by that information saying, "Really? No spoilage or wasted food? That's awesome!"
Odette added, "Well, as long as it's all eaten or kept in the fridges. Anything left out will still spoil. And with our lower cooking skill, sometimes we still burn a meal, so those get tossed."
Marisol giggled and whispered, "Daddy burns the mac 'n' cheese most of the time, so we ate a lot of my muffins!"
With favorites known and secrets shared, the first bonds of friendship have been forged, setting the foundation for a lasting, loving relationship.
And with this thought in both their minds and hearts, the two smile at each other, content with this, their first meeting.
Chase, relieved that this first important meeting was going so well, settled more deeply onto the couch with a book.
One he hadn't been reading until Odette and Marisol had shown such obvious liking for one another.
He even smiled as he overheard Marisol mention his disastrous attempts at cooking.
And as Odette's voice raised in obvious enthusiasm as the topic turned to music, he felt like this first hurdle had been cleared, cleanly and painlessly.
He knew there would be more to come, but for now, he relaxed, listened to Odette's and Marisol's happy chatter and actually read the first paragraph.
But soon Jemma was awake, so Chase eagerly got reacquainted with his youngest daughter.
She might not have been aware of his departure from the household for a week, but he sure was!
"I don't care what anyone says, sweetie, you have grown! Look how big you've gotten and your eyes so bright. Did you miss daddy? I sure missed you. And I've brought someone special home with me. A big sister to watch over you and show you how to play with blocks and bake muffins! She makes delicious muffins!"
Jemma waved her arms and gurgled, her soft baby coos showing her delight at being in her daddy's arms.
Odette and Marisol, who had both joined him in the nursery, smiled at the interaction between Chase and his infant daughter.
Odette, her eyes shining with unshed tears, as the sight brought a pang to her mother's heart, just smiled softly, enjoying having Chase back home to make their family complete again.
Marisol, happily riding away on the rockin' rider, chuckled and said, "Oh, daddy, she's so sweet! Just look at her unique skin, and she's waving her arms like she knows what you're saying. I'll definitely help her out with the muffins, when she's big enough."
Odette added, "You'll be a teen by then, and too big to play with the toy oven, but after her birthday tonight, she'll be old enough to play at the blocks table with you. And when she and Janette are children, I'm sure they'd love some instruction on baking and painting!"
"That sounds like the perfect plan mommy!" Marisol said, the name coming out naturally in her happiness.
Odette stood stock still and felt her heart swell even more.
Marisol had already won a place in her heart, this child without a mother… No! That wasn't true!
Marisol had changed that with one simple, heartfelt word, and Odette knew that, like Chase, she didn't have just two daughters, but three!
Leaving Marisol in the nursery watching over a still sleeping Janette in her swing, Chase brought Jemma to the swing in his in-laws bedroom, wondering just how much Marisol would change the relationship he had with Odette.
His anxiety grew as Odette stood silently looking out the sliding doors, and he could feel the tension between them.
Finally, unable to stand it anymore, he quickly spoke, saying" Honey, please forgive me for…."
Surprised at Chase's choice of words, Odette asked, "Forgive you for what Chase?"
"For the time machine, Marisol, it's such an unusual situation…I don't blame you for being angry with me. But I can't just abandon her…we'll both leave if that's what you want. I was hoping, since your first meeting went so well, that it would work out. But I can feel the tension between us. I'm so sorry."
Odette quickly placed her hand on Chase's arm and kissed him. Hard!
"You brilliant, brooding, goof!" she whispered huskily, "The tension you feel isn't one of anger, but one of passion. I've been dying to be alone with you! But I wanted to have time with Marisol and to give you time with the twins. I mean what kind of impression would I have made on such a young child if I'd jumped into your arms and kissed you passionately as soon as you got out of the van!?!"
Chase, his face showing his own love, quickly pulled Odette closer, saying, "Well, we're alone now, Jemma's asleep in the swing!"
Odette, gazing into his eyes, didn't speak, there was no need.
Her actions spoke more eloquently than any words!
Cinda, believing she'd shown more than enough patience, found Marisol in the nursery, and introduced herself.
"Hello, Marisol, I'm your grandmother, you can call me…"
Marisol interrupted with, "Cici! The Watcher told me all about you. Oh, your wings are sparkly and so beautiful! How lovely to be a fairy! And your hair. It really is turquoise. I met a student in Uni who had blue hair, but not like yours. But I liked it and I told him his was special too. Daddy told me how important it was for Sims to be unique and special. But that looks wasn't the most important thing, what mattered most was how you treated others."
Cinda, almost at a loss for words at this spate of information, finally managed to say, "Well, aren't you quite the chatterbox! I can see you've taken a page out of The Watcher's book. But I guess that makes sense, since she's been your principle guardian, with your father at classes. But that will all change now! You'll have fours adults to watch over you, to guide you, help teach you skills. Though your father was right. Treating others well is important. Something I really have to keep a tight reign on myself."
Innocently, Marisol, said, "Why? Aren't you nice to people!?!"
So Cinda explained all about traits and being a fairy, and how she had her own share of not-so-good traits.
"I don't mind plants, but I don't like the outdoors at all, so unless it's cut flowers in a vase, or plants growing in a green house, nature's just not for me. I'm not sure why, but I was born that way. As far as being nice to people, I'm really conflicted on that one. You see I got the mean-spirited trait as a child and adding that to my fairy genetics, where fairies are generally very mischievous, it made my childhood pretty rocky. And though no one was more surprised than me, I got the good trait when I became a teen! Though my mean trait still took over sometimes." She bent closer and whispered, "I've never told anyone, though the Watcher knows, as she sees everything, but I egged my Uncle Ian's house once on Spooky Day!"
"You didn't!?! You threw perfectly good eggs and made a mess on someone's door!?!"
Cinda gave a rueful nod and said, "I'm afraid so."
"But you're a police officer now so I guess you can't do things like that anymore."
"No. Now I spend my days keeping in shape with athletics and martial arts to keep sims from doing really bad things to other sims. Now, I'm not saying I still don't enjoy a good fairy prank, especially if someone deserves it, but for the most part, I've become an upstanding, responsible, citizen that keeps the streets of whatever town I'm in safe."
"And I've become a real big advocate for animals of all types, ever since I picked animal lover as my social trait. It came in real handy when I had to make friends with your Aunt Ella's pets in order to adopt a male unicorn to add to her menagerie."
"You've actually made friends with different animals, including a unicorn?"
"Yes, two unicorns actually, plus a cat, and a dog. The smaller animals weren't a big challenge as I could spend time with them inside, but with the unicorns, that meant spending a lot of time outside."
"But you hate the outdoors, so why would you do something like that?"
Cinda smiled and said, "Because my love for my daughter Ella outweighed my hate of the outdoors. And I knew it was temporary, not something I'd have to do forever, especially with the Watcher's assistance, so not as big a sacrifice as it sounds. And it wasn't without it's perks, watching the white unicorn with his herd of wild horses was a sight I will cherish forever. I miss having all the pets around."
Marisol perked up at that admission and asked, "Do you think we could get a pet!?!"
Cinda said, "It's something we could discuss as a family and decide together. A pet is a big responsibility."
"Would I get a vote too?"
"Of course! You’re a Frio! Once a Frio,…."
Marisol laughed and chimed in, so they chorused together, "…always a Frio!"
Cinda nodded and said, "I see your father has taught you the most important things already. Our motto and our creed."
While Marisol takes a moment to explore her new home, Cinda makes a phone call to invite some guests over for the twins toddler birthdays.
"Well, I hope you can make it. We'd like to get the girls together as soon as possible. But I understand having family commitments too."
Then, a smiling Odette, brings Janette to her cake, as the oldest twin she'll age up first.
Marisol enthusiastically joins Rory and Cinda, loudly tooting a party horn as they twirl noise makers.
A few moments later, the bright birthday sparkles shower around Janette and she laughs delightedly, trying to catch them with her chubby little fists.
I stare stunned, as she's not only beautiful, but she's aged up in a toddler outfit that suits her coloring to a tee, a cute white top with black polka dots and black rumba pants.
I pop her into stylist straight away for two reasons.
One, I want a close-up of her, and two, as much as I love the age up outfit, her favorite color is green.
So I keep the outfit, along with the polka dots and just change the color to green, which really pops against her skin.
Oh, make that three reasons.
I want to change her hair to a more feminine style, which I do, along with adding matching green ribbons.
I wasn't expecting such exotic genetics for this generation, but I'm loving this little tyke already!
As Rory and Chase sit companionably at the kitchen counter digging into Janette's birthday cake, Rory brings up the subject Chase has been dreading all day.
"Well, son, I was expecting the 'A', but bringing home a daughter was sure a surprise!"
Chase freezes and focuses on his fork, like cutting a bite of cake is the most important thing in the world.
Then he stutters, "I…I…don't…I'm so sorr…."
Rory, realizing Chase has taken his words as an admonishment, says, "No, no. Nothing to apologize for. She's beautiful, looks just like you. And the look on Cinda's face when Odette told us. Well, all I can say is priceless! And you did the right thing, calling Odette as soon as you knew what happened. I can't say I envy you the moment the Watcher explained what happened and you knew you had to explain it to Odette. And knowing you had to face Cinda when you got home, that must have been worrisome, especially with your brooding nature. But I've tried to ease that part for you, a least a little. You're not the first Frio to explore a time machine, and you went into it without knowing what could happen, unlike Cinda's great-grandparents, who wanted it to result in a child. A child they lost for years, but who finally appeared as a young adult. And caused a lot of disruption to the family, even challenging heirship, since she was the natural child of an heir, though she finally gave that up and it fell to Odette's grandmother, Lorelei, who had been chosen for heirship before she showed up. So it all worked out in the end."
"Medieval Marcy Madness! That's what the Watcher told me. She didn't go into all that detail, but she said that's why the family time machine was kept in storage. Thankfully, there's no heirship issue with Marisol being only my child and not Odette's, but I never wanted to cause distress to the family like this."
"Distress? Is there a problem between Odette and Marisol? Or you and Odette?"
"Oh, no, Odette and Marisol are getting along splendidly. Their first meeting went so much better than I expected."
"You mean brooded about, don't you?"
"Yes, still can't fight that aspect of my nature, as much as I've tried."
"So the problem is with you and Odette, then?"
"No! I thought it was, my brooding nature again, but Odette cleared that up quite plainly. We're more in love than ever!"
"So what distress are you talking about? It sounds to me like you were the one in distress, brooding about all of this, and it's turned out fine."
Chase pauses a moment, thinking Rory's words over and says, "It has turned out all right. More than alright actually. And as soon as Marisol's surprise turns up, I think everything will be all set for me to go back to Uni."
The Frios are back together as a family unit, briefly, and Marisol has been accepted into the family with open arms.
She's already called Odette, 'mommy' and has established a relationship with Cinda too.
With the twins becoming toddlers, she'll be able to play big sister, and become even more a part of the family.
But for that to happen we need to celebrate Jemma's toddler birthday.
So the party continues, with a surprise for me as well as for Marisol.
After that it's back to Uni for Chase to complete his degree!
Let's see what happens in Chapter 234: Birthday Surprises and More Goodbyes
Coming soon.
